Issue 8, 2013

A theophyllinequartz crystal microbalance biosensor based on recognition of RNA aptamer and amplification of signal

Abstract

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor for theophylline was developed by recognition of RNA aptamer and gold nanoparticle amplification technique. Firstly, a designed small single-stranded RNA, RNA1, was immobilized onto the QCM electrode through a thiol linker. Then, the complementary stranded RNA2, which can combine with RNA1 to form a double-stranded RNA with a recognition unit of theophylline, could be self-assembled on the QCM electrode surface through a hybrid reaction in the presence of theophylline. The recognition process could cause a frequency change of QCM to give the signal related to theophylline. When RNA2 was tethered to gold nanoparticles, the signal could be amplified to further enhance the sensitivity of the designed sensor. Under the optimal conditions, the QCM-based biosensor showed excellent sensitivity (limit of detection, 8.2 nM) and specificity with a dissociation constant of Kd = 5.26 × 10−7 M. The sensor can be used to quantitatively detect theophylline in serum, suggesting that it can be applied in complex biological samples.

Graphical abstract: A theophylline quartz crystal microbalance biosensor based on recognition of RNA aptamer and amplification of signal

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Nov 2012
Accepted
14 Feb 2013
First published
14 Feb 2013

Analyst, 2013,138, 2456-2462

A theophylline quartz crystal microbalance biosensor based on recognition of RNA aptamer and amplification of signal

Z. Dong and G. Zhao, Analyst, 2013, 138, 2456 DOI: 10.1039/C3AN36775D

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